(Bloomberg) -- European Union foreign ministers agreed on Monday to extend sanctions on Russia over its war against Ukraine after Hungary lifted its opposition to the move.
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Budapest had been stalling the decision since December when Prime Minister Viktor Orban told EU leaders he wanted to wait for Donald Trump’s inauguration before deciding whether to agree to roll over the restrictions. EU sanctions need to be extended every six months and, although it’s usually a routine decision, it requires the backing of all member states.
In return for Budapest backing down, the EU’s executive arm said it would provide several assurances relating to the bloc’s energy security.
The European Commission said in a statement that it would “continue discussions with Ukraine on the supply to Europe through the gas pipeline system” of the war-torn country and that it was willing to associate Hungary and Slovakia in the process.
Trump recently said he could increase sanctions on Russia if Vladimir Putin doesn’t come to the negotiating table to discuss how to end the fighting. The Hungarian premier then linked the sanctions discussion to his country’s energy security. He also called on the EU to pressure Ukraine to re-establish the transit of gas to Europe after Kyiv last month rejected renewing a contract for the delivery of Russian gas.
After failing to agree to an extension in several meetings between the bloc’s ambassadors this month, the matter was escalated to the foreign ministers gathering in Brussels on Monday. The bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced the agreement on X.
“EU Foreign Ministers just agreed to extend again the sanctions on Russia,” Kallas wrote. “This will continue to deprive Moscow of revenues to finance its war. Russia needs to pay for the damage they are causing.”
The bloc has approved 15 packages of sanctions since February 2022.
Energy Promises
“Hungary has received the energy-security guarantees it has requested,” Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Monday.
Russian gas stopped flowing to Europe via Ukraine this month after a long-term transit contract ended on Dec. 31 and Kyiv closed off a route that’s operated for five decades.
The route has recently accounted for just 5% of Europe’s needs and EU officials have said it does not endanger the bloc’s energy security. Still, countries including Slovakia and Hungary were still taking delivery of significant volumes from Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said over the weekend that Kyiv stands ready to allow gas from Azerbaijan to flow through the country.